About

Art Across Borders: Bring NuMu to LACMA

$78,347

pledged of $75,000 goal

492

backers

Bring NuMu to LACMA!

This summer, Guatemala’s first and only contemporary art museum is hitting the road for the very first time! Nuevo Museo de Arte Contemporáneo (NuMu) will be open to the public at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) from September 2017 to February 2018. With your help, a replica of the egg-shaped museum will travel almost 3,000 miles over two weeks, visiting some of the most diverse and dynamic creative communities in Guatemala, Mexico, and Southern California. Along the way, NuMu will bring world-class art, exciting programs, and countless opportunities for creative dialogue.

What is NuMu?

Since its founding in 2012, NuMu has become one of the most unconventional and exciting cultural destinations in Guatemala City. A 2.5 x 2 meter former drive-thru egg-selling kiosk, it has been repurposed into a gallery space with a maximum occupancy of 4 people, making it the world’s smallest contemporary art museum.

Run by two artists—Jessica Kairé and Stefan Benchoam—the micro-museum is known today as an international creative hub. Not only is it a venue for exhibitions by established artists hailing from all over Latin America, but it also organizes public programs, hosts community dinners, and provides resources for emerging artists.

Why this journey?

Today’s museums are so much more than collections of art. As gathering places and creative incubators, they bring together people of all ages, cultures, and backgrounds to share stories and exchange ideas.

This journey will bring NuMu’s latest exhibition—a sound installation by influential Guatemalan artist Joaquín Orellana—to new audiences in Guatemala, Mexico, and Southern California, fostering creative dialogues with diverse artistic communities. This 3,000-mile trip will cultivate new connections and collaborations across borders. And, as home to the largest population of Guatemalans outside of Central America and as a world-renowned center for contemporary art, Los Angeles is the quintessential endpoint for NuMu’s first international tour.

Where will NuMu be going?

Comalapa, Guatemala, a town that is known for its rich local painting traditions. Today, Comalapa is home to over 500 artists, many of whom run studios and galleries out of their homes.

The state of Oaxaca, Mexico, one of the richest cultural centers on the planet. NuMu will spend one day outside the renowned Parallel Oaxaca in downtown Oaxaca City before heading seaside to one of the region’s popular beaches.

Mexico City’s Chapultepec and Polanco districts, which are known for their world-class museums and cultural institutions.

Guadalajara at the Zapopan Museum, one of the city’s hottest destinations for modern and contemporary art.

After crossing the border at Laredo, Texas, NuMu will spend a day in Joshua Tree, California, where the spectacular desert landscape continues to inspire so many artists.

Creative neighborhoods of Los Angeles on the way to LACMA. At LACMA, NuMu will be open to the public from September 2017 until February 2018.

Why we need your help

NuMu is an artist-led project that relies entirely on the generous contributions of individuals and organizations. As an institution that must raise private funds for exhibitions and public programs, LACMA is committed to bringing NuMu to Los Angeles while remaining true to NuMu’s mission.
Your pledge will support:

Taking NuMu on a tour through three countries and seven locations throughout Central and North America. (These costs include transportation, accommodations, insurance, permits, and programs as NuMu travels over state lines.)

The installation and operation of the micro-museum during its six-month visit to Los Angeles. (This includes labor, security and staffing, professional art handling, and facilities management at LACMA.)

Presenting two world-class contemporary art exhibitions (Joaquín Orellana and Regina José Galindo) and a packed schedule of public programs while at LACMA, offering opportunities for inspiration and creative dialogue to thousands of art lovers around the world.

Why Kickstarter?

LACMA has gained a worldwide reputation for approaching the arts and cultures of every place and time period from new and innovative perspectives, opening doors to all kinds of cross-cultural projects and partnerships. Given its history of creative collaboration, LACMA and NuMu couldn’t find a better partner in Kickstarter––our first campaign!––as the platform allows a wide audience to become part of NuMu’s journey from the very beginning. Join us at the start, and help us move art and ideas across borders! All backers will receive regular updates on the process and can follow along each step of the way.

This project has been selected for inclusion on Art Basel’s curated page on Kickstarter.

About LACMA

Since its inception in 1965, LACMA has been devoted to collecting works of art that span both history and geography and represent Los Angeles's uniquely diverse population. Today, the museum features particularly strong collections of Latin American, Asian, and Islamic art. With innovative collaborations with artists, LACMA is creating a truly modern lens through which to view its rich encyclopedic collection.

About NuMu

NuMu is the first and only contemporary art museum in Guatemala dedicated exclusively to supporting, exhibiting, and documenting contemporary art. Founded in 2012, NuMu is an artist-run space, co-founded and directed by artists Jessica Kairé and Stefan Benchoam. An iconic fixture of Guatemala City’s urban landscape, NuMu’s minuscule size has led artists to think creatively about space, and develop site-specific projects that would not otherwise have come to life.

Rewards we have to offer!

We're excited to have you join our project and #NuMu2LACMA! No matter what you contribute, you’re an important part of this journey. We're also thrilled to offer unique rewards, most of which are exclusive to this Kickstarter project.

Back us and enjoy an egg-ceptional enamel pin you can wear to show your support of NuMu on its journey, an egg-cellent T-shirt that maps NuMu’s route to Los Angeles, and an egg-citing tote bag fabricated from upcycled materials in Guatemala by The New Denim Project. You also can opt for an egg-stremely limited edition art print (edition 50 + 3 AP) by New York-based artist Akira Ikezoe!

And there's more! Join us for special experiences at LACMA, including the chance to have an egg salad picnic with one of our amazing curators, an egg-stra special full-day VIP tour of the art scene in Los Angeles or Guatemala City, and the egg-straordinary opportunity to have your name engraved on a special plaque in front of NuMu at LACMA!

Your pledge is tax-deductible! Where goods and/or services are provided by LACMA in exchange for your contribution, the amount that is deductible for federal income tax purposes is limited to the excess of your total contribution over the fair market value of the goods and services provided.

If our project is completed and the goal is met, you will be asked to fill out a survey so that we can send you your rewards. LACMA is unable to recognize your gift or provide rewards unless the informational survey is completed.

Please allow an additional 4–6 weeks for your reward to ship internationally. Note: we are not responsible for international customs fees.

Some of the rewards are experiences (tours, events) offered at a specific time and place. LACMA is not responsible for any backer’s travel or costs to participate in such experiences, including food and lodging in addition to the backer’s travel expenses. Further, if a cause beyond LACMA's control requires rescheduling or cancellation of an experience, LACMA is not responsible for any additional travel or costs a backer may incur in order to participate at the new time. LACMA cannot guarantee that experiences occurring on dates yet to be announced, or that must be rescheduled, will occur on a date that is convenient for all backers.

LACMA is using Kickstarter, a third-party online funding platform. Your contribution will be managed by Kickstarter and will be processed by a third-party payment processor, Stripe. When you elect to complete your pledge, you will be directed by Kickstarter to Stripe’s payment processing site, and you will be providing your payment data (including other personally identifiable information and credit card information) directly to Stripe, and Stripe will issue payment to LACMA upon further instruction from Kickstarter. Please be advised that both Kickstarter’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and Stripe’s Terms and Conditions (including its Privacy Policy) apply to your use of this service.

At no time during this process will LACMA have access to information about the status of your payment transaction and LACMA will be unable to answer any inquiries regarding the status of your contribution while it’s being processed by Kickstarter and Stripe. In the event of any errors or delays in processing your payment, LACMA will not have the ability to correct those errors, or otherwise assume the processing of your pledge. LACMA cannot accept any responsibility for any privacy or data handling risks associated with third party payment processing, nor can it guarantee delivery of your reward in the event of a processing error that results in your contribution not being conveyed to LACMA. Any data that LACMA does collect, use, or store will be subject to LACMA’s Privacy Policy.

Risks and challenges

If the funding goal is not met, NuMu will be transported to Los Angeles by conventional means. NuMu will miss an extraordinary opportunity to connect with and inspire thousands of people in diverse communities in Guatemala, Mexico, and Southern California.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $100 or more
About $100

Egg-clusive Postcard from the Journey

Get your hands on artwork from along the journey. Backers at this level will receive an original postcard created by a community member from one of NuMu's stops. These postcards are egg-clusively for Kickstarter backers.

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The estimated value of the goods and services offered at this level is $75; the remainder of your contribution is tax-deductible.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $1,000 or more
About $1,000

Egg-stravagant Party

An invitation for you and a guest to experience NuMu and LACMA after hours! This event will take place on the evening of September 13, 2017 in Los Angeles. Travel to and from Los Angeles, food, and lodging are not included.

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The estimated value of the goods and services offered at this level is $140; the remainder of your contribution is tax-deductible.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $5,000 or more
About $5,000

Egg-Salad Picnic with Curator-Led Tour

Enjoy a picnic and a tour for you and three guests. A LACMA curator will show you around the museum and answer any burning questions you may have about NuMu and LACMA! If you don't like egg salad, don't worry: there are many more choices for lunch! This private experience will take place between September 2017 and February 2018. Travel to and from Los Angeles, food, and lodging are not included.

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The estimated value of the goods and services offered at this level is $265; the remainder of your contribution is tax-deductible.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $10,000
About $10,000

Egg-stra Special Tour of Guatemala City

A full-day private VIP tour of Guatemala City’s cultural scene for you and a guest guided by one of NuMu's co-directors. The day may include visits to local galleries, cultural institutions, and/or artist studios. This private tour will take place between September 2017 and February 2018. Travel to and from Guatemala City, food, and lodging are not included.

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The estimated value of the goods and services offered at this level is $465; the remainder of your contribution is tax-deductible.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $10,000
About $10,000

Egg-stra Special Tour of Los Angeles

A full-day private VIP tour of Los Angeles's cultural scene for you and a guest guided by one of LACMA's curators. The day may include a tour of LACMA's exhibitions and visits to local galleries and/or artist studios. This private tour will take place between September 2017 and February 2018. Travel to and from Los Angeles, food, and lodging are not included.

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The estimated value of the goods and services offered at this level is $565; the remainder of your contribution is tax-deductible.